Sofwan Awae, 24, died after lightning struck a football pitch in southern Thailand
Twelve players were injured, including a Malaysian footballer
The strike occurred during heavy rain in a Golok FA Cup semi-final, police said
A 24-year-old Thai footballer was killed and 12 other players were injured after lightning struck a football pitch during a local tournament match in southern Thailand on Tuesday evening.
The incident occurred at Santiphap Stadium in Sungai Golok, a town in Narathiwat province near the Thailand-Malaysia border. The match was part of the regional Golok FA Cup, an amateur tournament featuring Thai and Malaysian teams.
Police said in a media statement that the lightning strike occurred at around 5.30 pm local time during heavy rain as teams Abu x Nong Sirin and SAMCOLTS were competing in a semi-final match.
The deceased player was identified as Sofwan Awae, a winger who had recently signed for Thai third-tier club Yala FC. He had previously represented Pattani FC.
According to the police statement, officers received an emergency call shortly after the lightning strike and rushed to the stadium, where they found Sofwan in critical condition.
“Although the emergency medical team made every effort to save him, the victim succumbed to severe injuries sustained in the incident,” Sungai Golok police chief Thun Sirikhunt said in the statement.
A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, shows a lightning bolt striking the pitch in a sudden flash followed by a loud explosion.
Players wearing black-and-white striped jerseys immediately ran towards Sofwan, turned him onto his back and attempted to resuscitate him before medical personnel arrived.
The police chief also confirmed that one of the injured players was 22-year-old Malaysian footballer Mohammad Alif Ezzahan Zulkifli. Local media reported that he was playing for SAMCOLTS during the tournament.
All injured players were taken to Sungai Golok Hospital for treatment, and authorities said their conditions were being monitored.
The tragedy has drawn condolences from across the Thai football community. Yala FC paid tribute to Sofwan, who had joined the club only days before the incident, while the Football Association of Thailand issued a statement expressing sympathy to his family, teammates and club officials.
Sungai Golok is located close to Malaysia’s Kelantan state, and the Golok FA Cup also features several Malaysian amateur teams, including Kelantan FC.
The incident has renewed concerns about the risks posed by severe weather during outdoor sporting events in Thailand. According to the country’s Department of Disease Control, at least 283 people were struck by lightning between 2020 and 2024, with many victims dying at the scene.
Thailand has witnessed several fatal lightning incidents in recent months. In May, an engineering student and his aunt were killed after lightning struck a hut in Lampang province.
Earlier the same month, a 30-year-old pregnant woman died after she and her husband took shelter under a tree during a fishing trip in Uthai Thani province.
Authorities have not yet announced whether an investigation will be launched into the weather safety protocols followed during Tuesday’s match.
